The invention relates to an information processing system with a subsystem for selectively providing specific content information. Content information includes, for example, video and/or audio and/or graphics information. The system has also a computer for running a software application to control the providing of the specific content information. The system has a user-interface structure for user-control of the specific content information via interaction with the software application. The invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a home entertainment system.
A home entertainment system is a piece of equipment intended for the domestic environment and capable of processing in a synergetic manner audio video and graphics information that is being supplied by a variety of information sources. An example of a home entertainment system is the Destination D5-200 computer of Gateway 2000. See, for example, the article xe2x80x9cGateway 2000: Destination D5-200xe2x80x9d, Bruce Brown, PC Magazine edition of May 6, 1997. This computer has all its user-control functionalities, regarding information-content selection, bundled in software applications run on a single operating system. The Destination D5-200 has a TV tuner on its video card, and the computer must be on and running in order to watch TV.
There is a problem associated with having the computer controlling the user-interactive functionalities of the home entertainment system. For example, the computer may crash in such a way that the user is barred from controlling the conventional audio and video functionalities. If the user had been watching the television and the system before the computer crashed, there would be no way for the user to select another video source, e.g, a VCR or a video game, or to change the channels. The system is to be rebooted in order to restore user-control. This may well take several minutes. Note that also during rebooting of the computer the conventional audio-video functionalities are not available to the user.
Home entertainment systems with PC-based consumer apparatus have been becoming increasingly more sophisticated. Modular configurations and open architectures are believed to form the paradigm for such systems. Failure of the computer may occur more frequently in such an architecture, typically when its components are cooperating asynchronously. An open architecture system can be modified and extended at will. Future functionalities, presently unknown, or customized functionalities, will be added to the existing system as an after-market add-on. Proper functioning under each and every circumstance cannot be guaranteed anymore, simply because many of all possible processes could not have been contemplated in advance by the manufacturer, let alone tried out in the development phase.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an information processing system that is more user-friendly and robust than that of the prior art.
To this end, the invention provides an information processing system that comprises a sub-system for selectively providing specific content information, e.g., in the form of video content and audio content. The system also has a computer coupled to the subsystem. The computer nuns a software application to control the specific content information, e.g., the selection or combination thereof. A first user-interface structure provides user-control of the specific content information via interaction with the software application. A second user-interface structure provides user-control of the specific content information independently of the computer.
Providing independent user-control procedures largely solves the problem mentioned above. When the control path via the computer is blocked due to some software failure or during rebooting, the other control path via the second user-interface remains available. Regardless of the computer crashing or rebooting, the user maintains control over the content information provided by the subsystem, at least over that content information that is not created by the computer itself. Also, this relieves the computer from context switching between software applications when the user changes an audio or video functionality (e.g. sound volume or video brightness).
Preferably, the system tests periodically if the computer is capable of controlling the sub-system, and disables the data path from the computer to the sub-system upon a negative test result. For example, the computer sends a periodic heart beat signal, together with the data stream. The heart beat ascertains that the computer is up and running. Absence of the heart beat implies that the path from the computer should be disabled.
Alternatively, the sub-system periodically sends a signal to the computer, also referred to as heart beat, to trigger a confirmation of its being alive. Again in the absence of a response the path from the computer is disabled.
The heart beat rate sent can be varied dependent on the operational mode or status (e.g., sleep, fully operational) of the sender in order to notify the receiver of that mode or status. For example, the heart beat rate is lowered to a non-zero value when the computer sleeps and is increased when the computer is coming back to life and automatically returns to full system operation. In such a case, the sub-system is notified of the fact that the computer is sleeping by the different rate and the sub-system is prevented from prematurely awakening the computer. When the rate has dropped to zero, the path should be disabled.
Alternatively, the heart beat can be suspended after the computer has notified the sub-system of its deliberately going into sleep mode. The sub-system then knows that the absence of a heart beat is not caused by the computer crashing and does not have to disable the control path from the computer to the sub-system.